To help future-proof rail preservation, FMW Solutions has partnered with the North Yorkshire Moors Railway to convert a historic steam locomotive from burning coal to oil as part of the first full-size steam locomotive conversion project in the U.K. since the end of steam. Learn how this work will contribute to cost savings, labor savings, lessen greenhouse emissions, and streamline operations for an important heritage attraction using science, practices, and technology from the steam-era itself.
For more on this collaboration, click here: www.fmwsolutions.com/newsroom/2024/4/10/converting-coal-fired-steam-locomotives-to-oil
1:19 - The North Yorkshire Moors Railway
6:27 - The History of Oil-Fired Steam Locomotives
11:34 - Why Change from Coal to Oil?
16:43 - The Science of Oil-Firing Steam Locomotives
21:00 - What Locomotive Will Be Converted?
24:50 - Maintenance Impacts of Oil-Firing
32:40 - Learning How to Oil-Fire a Steam Locomotive
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U.S.-based railroad engineering and mechanical contractor FMW Solutions (“FMW”) is excited to announce that it will be working alongside the talented shop forces of the North Yorkshire Moors Railway (“NYMR”) to convert historic steam locomotive “Dame Vera Lynn” from coal to oil. This will be the first full-size steam locomotive oil conversion in the U.K. since the end of steam, and it is a crucial step forward in “future-proofing” the busiest heritage railway in the country.
“We are thrilled to work alongside the NYMR Engineering Department at Grosmont to convert War Department (“WD”) 2-10-0 No. 3672 as part of its upcoming overhaul,” explained FMW President Davidson Ward. “This work will be a trans-Atlantic effort, with key firing components being manufactured both at our workshop in Tennessee and by the NYMR forces at Grosmont. The final installation is anticipated to take place on the NYMR.”
In recent years, domestic sources for high-quality steam coal have dried up in the U.K., and changing climate patterns have caused the NYMR to stop running steam locomotives during the height of summer due to the acute risk of lighting lineside fires. The conversion of Dame Vera Lynn from coal to oil is a key step in the “future-proofing” of steam heritage in the U.K.
“We had a chance to join FMW leadership on the ‘Sugar Express’ steam operation in Florida and experience enhanced oil firing firsthand,” said NYMR Director of Engineer Paul “Piglet” Middleton. “There is no doubt in my mind that the proposed conversion will enable our railroad to adapt to a changing environment and preserve our ability to run steam in the coming decades.”
Ward was a headline speaker at the U.K. Heritage Railway Association conference last November in Newcastle. The presentation before a sold-out room was well received, and FMW is working with various preserved railways in the U.K. to discuss additional opportunities for oil conversion.
Also during his visit, Ward worked alongside engine crews to get a sense of the NYMR operation, firing and driving steam locomotives on their rugged line. With ruling grades over 2% and an 18-mile mainline, the NYMR is among the steepest and longest heritage railways in the U.K., boasting more than 300,000 passengers per year.
FMW and NYMR inked the deal at the close of 2023 and preliminary engineering work is expected to begin in early 2024. Fundraising for the restoration project is underway, and the timeline to see the locomotive returned to operation largely depends on public donations. To learn more about the opportunity, click here: www.nymr.co.uk/war-department-2-10-0-no-3672-dame-vera-lynn